A senior United States&nbsp;diplomat on Saturday told lawmakers leading an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/judge-validates-impeachment-enquiry-against-donald-trump-orders-mueller-document-release-258208">impeachment enquiry</a> that he did not know whether President Donald Trump had withheld aid for Ukraine in an attempt force an investigation of a political rival, sources said, even as Democrats said his testimony corroborated other evidence gathered.

Philip Reeker, the acting assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, spent about eight hours with the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight committees behind closed doors at the US&nbsp;Capitol.

Reeker told lawmakers he was unaware of whether US&nbsp;security aid to Ukraine was withheld to pressure Kiev to launch investigations that could have helped Trump's 2020 re-election bid, according to a source familiar with the matter.

At the end of Saturday's session, Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff told reporters, "We're making rapid progress" in the impeachment enquiry. He declined to say when the panels might advance to the next phase of hearings open to the public.

The Democratic-led committees are conducting an enquiry focusing on Trump's request to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that he investigate former US&nbsp;Vice President Joe Biden, a leading Democratic presidential candidate, and his son Hunter Biden, who had served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company.

US&nbsp;election law prohibits candidates from accepting foreign help in an election.

As part of their probe, the lawmakers are examining whether Trump withheld $391 million in security assistance until Zelenskiy publicly committed to both an investigation of the Bidens and a debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia,&nbsp;meddled in the US&nbsp;2016 presidential election.

Democrats emerging from the session said Reeker's deposition corroborated previous testimony taken by the panels.

But they offered no details and it was not clear what Reeker may have corroborated.

Representative Stephen Lynch told reporters that Reeker, whose portfolio includes Ukraine and Russia, was a "much richer reservoir of information than we originally expected."

But Reeker, according to a second source who asked not to be identified, was largely out of the loop on policy toward Ukraine, leaving it to Kurt Volker, then the US&nbsp;special representative for Ukraine negotiations, and others.

Republican Representative Mark Meadows, speaking to reporters as a long day of testimony was winding down, said it "was a good day for the president" and described Reeker as "a top-level official not giving any potential incriminating evidence."

Reeker submitted to questioning in response to a congressional subpoena that was issued after the State Department attempted to block his testimony, according to an official working on the impeachment inquiry.

The testimony was the first since a federal judge on Friday rejected a claim by Trump and his Republican allies that the Democrats' impeachment enquiry process was illegitimate because the full House had not voted to authorize it.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on September&nbsp;24 launched the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/republicans-to-unveil-measure-knocking-trump-impeachment-effort-258014">formal Trump probe</a> under her broad powers as the speaker.

Watch: Donald Trump claims he's a victim of a lynching

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/donald-trump-claims-hes-a-victim-of-lynching-257613/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Focus on Ukraine

At the heart of the enquiry is a July 25 phone call in which Trump asked Zelenskiy to investigate the Bidens and a claim,&nbsp;debunked as a conspiracy theory,&nbsp;that a Democratic National Committee computer server was in Ukraine.

William Taylor, the top US&nbsp;diplomat in Ukraine, testified on Tuesday that Trump made the withheld aid contingent on Zelenskiy announcing the requested investigations.

Reeker was unaware in the June-August period of the possibility Trump may have withheld the aid to pressure Zelenskiy, a second source said, adding that he knew the aid was delayed but did not know why. He testified that he heard resistance was coming from Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, the source said.

Trump denies wrongdoing and, backed by his fellow Republicans in Congress, insists he is being treated unfairly.

Reeker, 54, a career diplomat, is the latest in a growing list of current and former officials who have met with investigators.

Among the issues, the committees were expected to explore with Reeker was Trump's abrupt dismissal in May of the ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch. According to emails given to congressional committees this month, Reeker sought to intervene when Trump supporters accused Yovanovitch of being disloyal to the president.

Reeker sought a stronger State Department defence of Yovanovitch, according to sources familiar with the matter, which never was provided.

The committees have scheduled several depositions for next week, all behind closed doors.

Charles Kupperman, a former deputy national security adviser to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-compares-impeachment-to-lynching-faces-backlash-257586">Trump</a>, who was called to appear on Monday, has asked a court whether he should comply with a congressional subpoena or honour the administration's instruction not to testify.

On Tuesday, lawmakers hope to hear from Alexander Vindman, the White House National Security Council's top Ukraine expert.

Kathryn Wheelbarger, acting assistant secretary of defence for international security, is scheduled to appear on Wednesday, and Tim Morrison, a top White House adviser on Russia and Europe, is scheduled for Thursday.

A senior United States diplomat on Saturday told lawmakers leading an impeachment enquiry that he did not know whether President Donald Trump had withheld aid for Ukraine in an attempt force an investigation of a political rival, sources said, even as Democrats said his testimony corroborated other evidence gathered.

A senior United States diplomat on Saturday told lawmakers leading an impeachment enquiry that he did not know whether President Donald Trump had withheld aid for Ukraine in an attempt force an investigation of a political rival, sources said, even as Democrats said his testimony corroborated other evidence gathered. Philip Reeker, the acting assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, spent about eight hours with the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight committees behind closed doors at the US Capitol. Reeker told lawmakers he was unaware of whether US security aid to Ukraine was withheld to pressure Kiev to launch investigations that could have helped Trump's 2020 re-election bid, according to a source familiar with the matter. At the end of Saturday's session, Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff told reporters, "We're making rapid progress" in the impeachment enquiry. He declined to say when the panels might advance to the next phase of hearings open to the public. The Democratic-led committees are conducting an enquiry focusing on Trump's request to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that he investigate former US Vice President Joe Biden, a leading Democratic presidential candidate, and his son Hunter Biden, who had served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company. US election law prohibits candidates from accepting foreign help in an election. As part of their probe, the lawmakers are examining whether Trump withheld $391 million in security assistance until Zelenskiy publicly committed to both an investigation of the Bidens and a debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia, meddled in the US 2016 presidential election. Democrats emerging from the session said Reeker's deposition corroborated previous testimony taken by the panels. But they offered no details and it was not clear what Reeker may have corroborated. Representative Stephen Lynch told reporters that Reeker, whose portfolio includes Ukraine and Russia, was a "much richer reservoir of information than we originally expected." But Reeker, according to a second source who asked not to be identified, was largely out of the loop on policy toward Ukraine, leaving it to Kurt Volker, then the US special representative for Ukraine negotiations, and others. Republican Representative Mark Meadows, speaking to reporters as a long day of testimony was winding down, said it "was a good day for the president" and described Reeker as "a top-level official not giving any potential incriminating evidence." Reeker submitted to questioning in response to a congressional subpoena that was issued after the State Department attempted to block his testimony, according to an official working on the impeachment inquiry. The testimony was the first since a federal judge on Friday rejected a claim by Trump and his Republican allies that the Democrats' impeachment enquiry process was illegitimate because the full House had not voted to authorize it. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on September 24 launched the formal Trump probe under her broad powers as the speaker. Watch: Donald Trump claims he's a victim of a lynching Focus on Ukraine At the heart of the enquiry is a July 25 phone call in which Trump asked Zelenskiy to investigate the Bidens and a claim, debunked as a conspiracy theory, that a Democratic National Committee computer server was in Ukraine. William Taylor, the top US diplomat in Ukraine, testified on Tuesday that Trump made the withheld aid contingent on Zelenskiy announcing the requested investigations. Reeker was unaware in the June-August period of the possibility Trump may have withheld the aid to pressure Zelenskiy, a second source said, adding that he knew the aid was delayed but did not know why. He testified that he heard resistance was coming from Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, the source said. Trump denies wrongdoing and, backed by his fellow Republicans in Congress, insists he is being treated unfairly. Reeker, 54, a career diplomat, is the latest in a growing list of current and former officials who have met with investigators. Among the issues, the committees were expected to explore with Reeker was Trump's abrupt dismissal in May of the ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch. According to emails given to congressional committees this month, Reeker sought to intervene when Trump supporters accused Yovanovitch of being disloyal to the president. Reeker sought a stronger State Department defence of Yovanovitch, according to sources familiar with the matter, which never was provided. The committees have scheduled several depositions for next week, all behind closed doors. Charles Kupperman, a former deputy national security adviser to Trump, who was called to appear on Monday, has asked a court whether he should comply with a congressional subpoena or honour the administration's instruction not to testify. On Tuesday, lawmakers hope to hear from Alexander Vindman, the White House National Security Council's top Ukraine expert. Kathryn Wheelbarger, acting assistant secretary of defence for international security, is scheduled to appear on Wednesday, and Tim Morrison, a top White House adviser on Russia and Europe, is scheduled for Thursday.

United States lawmakers hear from 'corroborating' witness in Trump impeachment probe

North Korea said Sunday the United States must not exploit the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-and-trump-have-special-relationship-state-media-257802">"close personal relations"</a> between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump as negotiations over Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal remain deadlocked.

Talks between Pyongyang and Washington have stalled since a second summit between Trump and Kim in Hanoi in February broke down without an agreement.

The two have since blamed each other for the failure of the summit, with the North demanding the US bring forward a "new method" by the end of the year.

Kim Yong Chol, who served as the North's counterpart to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo until the collapse of the Hanoi meeting, credited Trump and Kim's close ties for salvaging the diplomacy but warned they were not enough.

"There is a limit to everything," Kim, now the chairman of the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.

"The close personal relations can never be kept aloof from the public mindset and they are never a guarantee for preventing the DPRK-US relations from getting aggravated," he said using the acronym for the North's official name.

It was a rare statement by the former top envoy, who was rumoured to have been purged following the collapse of the Hanoi summit until he reappeared in a photo accompanying Kim Jong Un at an art performance in June.

His comment comes just days after Trump touted his close ties with the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-leader-kim-vows-to-clear-south-korea-relics-from-kumgang-resort-257625">North Korean leader</a>, saying they liked each other and shared mutual "respect".

Pyongyang reciprocated in a statement by a top official, citing Kim as saying "the relationship between him and President Trump is special".

After trading threats of war and insults in 2017, the two leaders held a high-profile summit in Singapore last year, with Kim signing a vague pledge to work towards "denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula".

But little progress has been made after an unsuccessful second summit in Hanoi in February, and earlier this month, the North broke off the latest round of working-level talks in Sweden.&nbsp;

North Korea said Sunday the United States must not exploit the "close personal relations" between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump as negotiations over Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal remain deadlocked.

North Korea said Sunday the United States must not exploit the "close personal relations" between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump as negotiations over Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal remain deadlocked. Talks between Pyongyang and Washington have stalled since a second summit between Trump and Kim in Hanoi in February broke down without an agreement. The two have since blamed each other for the failure of the summit, with the North demanding the US bring forward a "new method" by the end of the year. Kim Yong Chol, who served as the North's counterpart to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo until the collapse of the Hanoi meeting, credited Trump and Kim's close ties for salvaging the diplomacy but warned they were not enough. "There is a limit to everything," Kim, now the chairman of the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency. "The close personal relations can never be kept aloof from the public mindset and they are never a guarantee for preventing the DPRK-US relations from getting aggravated," he said using the acronym for the North's official name. It was a rare statement by the former top envoy, who was rumoured to have been purged following the collapse of the Hanoi summit until he reappeared in a photo accompanying Kim Jong Un at an art performance in June. His comment comes just days after Trump touted his close ties with the North Korean leader, saying they liked each other and shared mutual "respect". Pyongyang reciprocated in a statement by a top official, citing Kim as saying "the relationship between him and President Trump is special". After trading threats of war and insults in 2017, the two leaders held a high-profile summit in Singapore last year, with Kim signing a vague pledge to work towards "denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula". But little progress has been made after an unsuccessful second summit in Hanoi in February, and earlier this month, the North broke off the latest round of working-level talks in Sweden.

North Korea warns United States not to exploit 'close' Trump-Kim ties

Belgian Budget Minister Sophie Wilmes has been chosen as the country's new caretaker prime minister, a first for a woman, the current premier Charles Michel said on Saturday.

The 44-year-old&nbsp;still has to be sworn in by King Philippe, who is expected to announce the nomination formally on Sunday at the earliest.

Michel, who is set to take over as European Council president on December 1, had said on Friday he intended to step down by the beginning of November "at the latest".

Belgium has not had a fully functioning federal government since a coalition headed up by Michel collapsed in December 2018.

He has stayed on as caretaker premier ever since.

The political situation was further complicated by a very fragmented result of parliamentary elections in May.

"Congratulations Sophie Wilmes, who is being put forward to the King as caretaker prime minister," Michel said on Twitter.

Wilmes, who is seen as an ally of Michel's and was first elected to parliament in 2014, was chosen by a ministerial committee.

Belgium has a reputation for political crises. In 2010-2011 it was without a government for 541 days, a record.

Belgian Budget Minister Sophie Wilmes has been chosen as the country's new caretaker prime minister, a first for a woman, the current premier Charles Michel said on Saturday.

Belgian Budget Minister Sophie Wilmes has been chosen as the country's new caretaker prime minister, a first for a woman, the current premier Charles Michel said on Saturday. The 44-year-old still has to be sworn in by King Philippe, who is expected to announce the nomination formally on Sunday at the earliest. Michel, who is set to take over as European Council president on December 1, had said on Friday he intended to step down by the beginning of November "at the latest". Belgium has not had a fully functioning federal government since a coalition headed up by Michel collapsed in December 2018. He has stayed on as caretaker premier ever since. The political situation was further complicated by a very fragmented result of parliamentary elections in May. "Congratulations Sophie Wilmes, who is being put forward to the King as caretaker prime minister," Michel said on Twitter. Wilmes, who is seen as an ally of Michel's and was first elected to parliament in 2014, was chosen by a ministerial committee. Belgium has a reputation for political crises. In 2010-2011 it was without a government for 541 days, a record.

First woman named as Belgian prime minister

Clashes in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/erdogan-says-will-clear-terrorists-from-syria-border-if-sochi-deal-fails-258300">northeast Syria</a> between pro-Ankara fighters backed by the Turkish air force and a Damascus-backed force led by Syrian Kurds left 15 dead on Saturday, a monitor said.

Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP that nine pro-Turkish fighters and six members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were killed in a zone between the towns of Tal Tamr and Ras al-Ain.

State news agency SANA said earlier Syrian government forces had entered the provincial borders of Ras al-Ain near Turkey's border on Saturday, &nbsp;an area that was taken by Turkish forces in the latter's weeks-long offensive against Syria's Kurds.

The Observatory said the Syrian government's deployment there was its largest in years.

Syrian government troops had also deployed along a road stretching some 30 kilometres south of the frontier, SANA said.&nbsp;

Watch: What's the on-ground reality&nbsp;in Syria?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/whats-the-reality-on-ground-in-syria-258283/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Turkey and its Syrian proxies on October 9 launched a cross-border attack against Kurdish-held areas, grabbing a 120-kilometre-long&nbsp;swathe of Syrian land along the frontier.

The incursion left hundreds dead and caused 300,000 people to flee their homes, in the latest humanitarian crisis in Syria's brutal eight-year war.

Turkey and Russia this week struck a deal in Sochi for more Kurdish forces to withdraw from the frontier on both sides of that Turkish-held area under the supervision of Russian and Syrian forces.

On Saturday, the Britain-based Observatory said some 2,000 Syrian troops and hundreds of military vehicles were deploying around what <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amnesty-international-says-turkey-deporting-syrians-to-planned-safe-zone-region-258214">Turkey calls its "safe zone"</a>.&nbsp;

Government forces were being accompanied by Russian military police, the Observatory said.&nbsp;

Moscow has said 300 Russian military police had arrived in Syria to help ensure Kurdish forces withdraw to a line 30 kilometres (18 miles) from the border in keeping with Tuesday's agreement.

Under the Sochi deal, Kurdish forces have until late Tuesday to withdraw from border areas at either end of the Turkish-held area, before joint Turkish-Russian patrols start in a 10-kilometre strip there.

Ankara eventually wants to set up a buffer zone on Syrian soil along the entire length of its 440-kilometre-long border, including to resettle some of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees currently in Turkey.

The SDF has objected to some provisions of the Sochi agreement and it has so far maintained several border posts.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Saturday that Ankara would "clear terrorists" on its border if the Kurdish forces, which his country view as an offshoot of its own banned insurgency, did not withdraw by the deadline.

Clashes in northeast Syria between pro-Ankara fighters backed by the Turkish air force and a Damascus-backed force led by Syrian Kurds left 15 dead on Saturday, a monitor said.

Clashes in northeast Syria between pro-Ankara fighters backed by the Turkish air force and a Damascus-backed force led by Syrian Kurds left 15 dead on Saturday, a monitor said. Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP that nine pro-Turkish fighters and six members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were killed in a zone between the towns of Tal Tamr and Ras al-Ain. State news agency SANA said earlier Syrian government forces had entered the provincial borders of Ras al-Ain near Turkey's border on Saturday, an area that was taken by Turkish forces in the latter's weeks-long offensive against Syria's Kurds. The Observatory said the Syrian government's deployment there was its largest in years. Syrian government troops had also deployed along a road stretching some 30 kilometres south of the frontier, SANA said. Watch: What's the on-ground reality in Syria? Turkey and its Syrian proxies on October 9 launched a cross-border attack against Kurdish-held areas, grabbing a 120-kilometre-long swathe of Syrian land along the frontier. The incursion left hundreds dead and caused 300,000 people to flee their homes, in the latest humanitarian crisis in Syria's brutal eight-year war. Turkey and Russia this week struck a deal in Sochi for more Kurdish forces to withdraw from the frontier on both sides of that Turkish-held area under the supervision of Russian and Syrian forces. On Saturday, the Britain-based Observatory said some 2,000 Syrian troops and hundreds of military vehicles were deploying around what Turkey calls its "safe zone". Government forces were being accompanied by Russian military police, the Observatory said. Moscow has said 300 Russian military police had arrived in Syria to help ensure Kurdish forces withdraw to a line 30 kilometres (18 miles) from the border in keeping with Tuesday's agreement. Under the Sochi deal, Kurdish forces have until late Tuesday to withdraw from border areas at either end of the Turkish-held area, before joint Turkish-Russian patrols start in a 10-kilometre strip there. Ankara eventually wants to set up a buffer zone on Syrian soil along the entire length of its 440-kilometre-long border, including to resettle some of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees currently in Turkey. The SDF has objected to some provisions of the Sochi agreement and it has so far maintained several border posts. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Saturday that Ankara would "clear terrorists" on its border if the Kurdish forces, which his country view as an offshoot of its own banned insurgency, did not withdraw by the deadline.

15 dead in Syria clashes between pro-Turkish forces, Kurds: Report

The leaders of two British opposition parties unveiled a plan Saturday to give Prime Minister Boris Johnson the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-kingdom-prime-minister-boris-johnson-says-he-wants-early-election-on-december-12-258016">snap election</a> he wants, but only if EU leaders delay Brexit until January.

Johnson has tried twice to call an early election to break the deadlock in the House of Commons over Britain's departure from the European Union and will try again in a vote on Monday.

But he needs the support of opposition MPs and they have refused to back a poll until the risk of a disorderly "no-deal" Brexit on October 31 is completely removed.

Johnson was forced by law to ask EU leaders last weekend to delay Brexit after MPs refused to back the divorce terms he struck with Brussels.

EU leaders are expected to decide on Monday or early Tuesday whether to grant the three-month delay requested or to set another date.

The Scottish National Party (SNP) and the Liberal Democrats, who between them have 54 MPs in the 650-seat Commons, said that a three-month delay to end-January would see them put forward plans for an early election on Tuesday.

"If that meaningful extension is secured we will then work together to bring forward an election this year," said SNP leader Ian Blackford.

He and Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson have laid out their offer in a letter to European Council president Donald Tusk.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-prime-minister-boris-johnson-prepares-fresh-brexit-push-257303">Johnson has proposed</a> an election on December 12, but only if parliament ratifies his Brexit deal before then.

The SNP and Lib Dems,&nbsp;who both strongly oppose Brexit,&nbsp;want an election on December 9.

Johnson late Saturday accused MPs of holding Britain "hostage" by refusing to back an election or a Brexit deal.

"Millions of businesses and people cannot plan their futures, this paralysis is causing real damage and the country must move on in 2020," he said in a statement.

The leaders of two British opposition parties unveiled a plan Saturday to give Prime Minister Boris Johnson the snap election he wants, but only if EU leaders delay Brexit until January.

The leaders of two British opposition parties unveiled a plan Saturday to give Prime Minister Boris Johnson the snap election he wants, but only if EU leaders delay Brexit until January. Johnson has tried twice to call an early election to break the deadlock in the House of Commons over Britain's departure from the European Union and will try again in a vote on Monday. But he needs the support of opposition MPs and they have refused to back a poll until the risk of a disorderly "no-deal" Brexit on October 31 is completely removed. Johnson was forced by law to ask EU leaders last weekend to delay Brexit after MPs refused to back the divorce terms he struck with Brussels. EU leaders are expected to decide on Monday or early Tuesday whether to grant the three-month delay requested or to set another date. The Scottish National Party (SNP) and the Liberal Democrats, who between them have 54 MPs in the 650-seat Commons, said that a three-month delay to end-January would see them put forward plans for an early election on Tuesday. "If that meaningful extension is secured we will then work together to bring forward an election this year," said SNP leader Ian Blackford. He and Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson have laid out their offer in a letter to European Council president Donald Tusk. Johnson has proposed an election on December 12, but only if parliament ratifies his Brexit deal before then. The SNP and Lib Dems, who both strongly oppose Brexit, want an election on December 9. Johnson late Saturday accused MPs of holding Britain "hostage" by refusing to back an election or a Brexit deal. "Millions of businesses and people cannot plan their futures, this paralysis is causing real damage and the country must move on in 2020," he said in a statement.

United Kingdom opposition parties outline election plan

Rescuers worked by hand to clear debris from a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-rises-to-eight-as-heavy-rains-hit-typhoon-battered-eastern-japan-258223">landslide triggered by heavy rains</a> in central Japan on Saturday, as the toll from the storms rose to 10 dead with a further three people reportedly missing.

Aerial footage showed emergency workers removing wreckage from two houses that were swept away in Chiba, southeast of Tokyo, just two weeks after a deadly typhoon barrelled through the area.

Nine people were killed by landslides and floods in the region, including two elderly men found dead in submerged cars, officials and news reports said.

A woman in her 40s was found dead near the coast in eastern Fukushima, according to a fire department official.

Police divers were deployed to search for those unaccounted for, with public broadcaster NHK putting the number of missing at three.

Thousands of people were <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/storm-hit-areas-in-japan-brace-for-heavy-rains-60000-advised-to-evacuate-258034">forced to spend the night in Narita airport</a> after train services were suspended, it added.

"Water was flowing in my garden like a river," a 75-year-old man told NHK. "Rain was heavier than during the typhoon."

Two weeks ago, Typhoon Hagibis slammed into the east coast of Japan, killing more than 80 people. Many river banks and levees that were breached during Hagibis have yet to be repaired.

The rescue effort received some relief when the Japan Meteorological Agency downgraded warnings of landslides and floods as rains eased on Saturday morning in many regions.

Non-mandatory evacuation orders were also lifted in many areas, although 1,800 people were still in shelters, NHK reported.

Rescuers worked by hand to clear debris from a landslide triggered by heavy rains in central Japan on Saturday, as the toll from the storms rose to 10 dead with a further three people reportedly missing.

Rescuers worked by hand to clear debris from a landslide triggered by heavy rains in central Japan on Saturday, as the toll from the storms rose to 10 dead with a further three people reportedly missing. Aerial footage showed emergency workers removing wreckage from two houses that were swept away in Chiba, southeast of Tokyo, just two weeks after a deadly typhoon barrelled through the area. Nine people were killed by landslides and floods in the region, including two elderly men found dead in submerged cars, officials and news reports said. A woman in her 40s was found dead near the coast in eastern Fukushima, according to a fire department official. Police divers were deployed to search for those unaccounted for, with public broadcaster NHK putting the number of missing at three. Thousands of people were forced to spend the night in Narita airport after train services were suspended, it added. "Water was flowing in my garden like a river," a 75-year-old man told NHK. "Rain was heavier than during the typhoon." Two weeks ago, Typhoon Hagibis slammed into the east coast of Japan, killing more than 80 people. Many river banks and levees that were breached during Hagibis have yet to be repaired. The rescue effort received some relief when the Japan Meteorological Agency downgraded warnings of landslides and floods as rains eased on Saturday morning in many regions. Non-mandatory evacuation orders were also lifted in many areas, although 1,800 people were still in shelters, NHK reported.

Rescuers hunt for missing people as landslides, floods kill ten in Japan

It has already been over four decades that Buddhi Ram Prajapati has been in the pottery business which he inherited from his forefathers.

Prajapati never thought of changing his profession, until now. The clay he used for&nbsp;pottery is running out.

"We use to bring the clay from Jagati (Bhaktapur) where we use to get it abundantly but now it is coming to an end as more houses are being built over. Now we are bringing the clay from some other place. Sometimes we bring it from Harishiddhi (Lalitpur) and sometimes from Sankhu (Kathmandu), wherever the clay is available I have to buy it from there," Buddhi Ram Prajapati told ANI while making his pottery's.

Price of a vehicle loaded with clays ranges from NPR 700 - 10,000 per vehicle for a trip.

"The previous place (Jagati) from where we use to bring on the clay is numbered to be best, but with clay from the new place; we cannot make some big items. Quality of clay from the previously brought places was much fertile and there was less chance of breaking of the items but the items made from the new clays breaks quite often," Prajapati complained.

According to him, clay from newer places has a high composition of sand which decreases the quality of pottery items.

Potters have to go to farther distance in search of clay which consumes more time and additional expenses, consequently plummeting the price of pottery items.

Potters usually get a profit of NPR 2 on a "Pala", traditional earthen lamp and NPR 8 from the sale of a "Matka", a cup made of clay which is meant for single use only. But the price goes high if they use high-quality black clay.

In order to maintain the price as well as the quality of products along with continuing these inherited ancestral businesses, Prajapati said he is thinking of purchasing land with fine quality clay.

"We have been searching for places with clay that fits us or else buying land where we can get the required clay abundantly, we are thinking of it," Buddhi Ram Prajapati said amid the confusion as his business lingers in the uncertainty.

The Pottery Square here attracts a large number of tourists as well as buyers of the pottery items which are found in a comparatively lower price than in the main market.

Prajapati clan which is the oldest residing family of this particular square in Bhaktapur has been preserving and promoting the pottery business from ancient time. Though their business is under threat, they are determined not to leave the business at any cost.

"If there's no clay, there comes situation none other than quitting the business but I won't leave my profession till the clay exists there," Buddhi Ram Prajapati said.

It has already been over four decades that Buddhi Ram Prajapati has been in the pottery business which he inherited from his forefathers. Prajapati never thought of changing his profession, until now.

It has already been over four decades that Buddhi Ram Prajapati has been in the pottery business which he inherited from his forefathers. Prajapati never thought of changing his profession, until now. The clay he used for pottery is running out. "We use to bring the clay from Jagati (Bhaktapur) where we use to get it abundantly but now it is coming to an end as more houses are being built over. Now we are bringing the clay from some other place. Sometimes we bring it from Harishiddhi (Lalitpur) and sometimes from Sankhu (Kathmandu), wherever the clay is available I have to buy it from there," Buddhi Ram Prajapati told ANI while making his pottery's. Price of a vehicle loaded with clays ranges from NPR 700 - 10,000 per vehicle for a trip. "The previous place (Jagati) from where we use to bring on the clay is numbered to be best, but with clay from the new place; we cannot make some big items. Quality of clay from the previously brought places was much fertile and there was less chance of breaking of the items but the items made from the new clays breaks quite often," Prajapati complained. According to him, clay from newer places has a high composition of sand which decreases the quality of pottery items. Potters have to go to farther distance in search of clay which consumes more time and additional expenses, consequently plummeting the price of pottery items. Potters usually get a profit of NPR 2 on a "Pala", traditional earthen lamp and NPR 8 from the sale of a "Matka", a cup made of clay which is meant for single use only. But the price goes high if they use high-quality black clay. In order to maintain the price as well as the quality of products along with continuing these inherited ancestral businesses, Prajapati said he is thinking of purchasing land with fine quality clay. "We have been searching for places with clay that fits us or else buying land where we can get the required clay abundantly, we are thinking of it," Buddhi Ram Prajapati said amid the confusion as his business lingers in the uncertainty. The Pottery Square here attracts a large number of tourists as well as buyers of the pottery items which are found in a comparatively lower price than in the main market. Prajapati clan which is the oldest residing family of this particular square in Bhaktapur has been preserving and promoting the pottery business from ancient time. Though their business is under threat, they are determined not to leave the business at any cost. "If there's no clay, there comes situation none other than quitting the business but I won't leave my profession till the clay exists there," Buddhi Ram Prajapati said.

Pottery businesses threatened due to shortage of clay in Nepal

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imran-khan-issues-directives-to-allow-maryam-nawaz-to-stay-with-ailing-father-258082">Maryam Nawaz</a> was moved back to Lahore's Services Hospital on Friday where she will undergo medical tests, a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan issued directives to allow Maryam to stay with her ailing father Nawaz Sharif who is admitted at the same hospital. 
 
Meanwhile, Sharif's health condition has worsened after his platelet count significantly dropped to less than 7,000. The medical team said that the former Pakistan Prime Minister is suffering from acute immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), an immune disorder that leads to an abrupt and sharp drop in blood platelets, reported Dunya News. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/maryam-nawaz-admitted-to-lahore-hospital-after-meeting-ailing-father-nawaz-sharif-257794">Maryam</a> had been shifted back to Kot Lakhpath jail on Thursday after undergoing a few medical tests. The PML-N leader was released on parole by the Punjab government on Wednesday to see her father, who has been hospitalised from Monday night. Maryam had earlier claimed that she was denied the permission for the same, Samaa TV reported. 
 
Nawaz was shifted to Lahore's Services Hospital after his health deteriorated Monday night. Sharif's physician, Adnan Khan, had said that his patient had a "critically low" platelet count and requested the authorities to immediately shift him to a hospital.

Earlier, Imran Khan had directed the Punjab government to extend the best medical services to the former Prime Minister in accordance with his family's wishes.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz was moved back to Lahore's Services Hospital on Friday where she will undergo medical tests, a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan issued directives to allow Maryam to stay with her ailing father Nawaz Sharif who is admitted at the same hospital.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz was moved back to Lahore's Services Hospital on Friday where she will undergo medical tests, a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan issued directives to allow Maryam to stay with her ailing father Nawaz Sharif who is admitted at the same hospital. Meanwhile, Sharif's health condition has worsened after his platelet count significantly dropped to less than 7,000. The medical team said that the former Pakistan Prime Minister is suffering from acute immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), an immune disorder that leads to an abrupt and sharp drop in blood platelets, reported Dunya News. Maryam had been shifted back to Kot Lakhpath jail on Thursday after undergoing a few medical tests. The PML-N leader was released on parole by the Punjab government on Wednesday to see her father, who has been hospitalised from Monday night. Maryam had earlier claimed that she was denied the permission for the same, Samaa TV reported. Nawaz was shifted to Lahore's Services Hospital after his health deteriorated Monday night. Sharif's physician, Adnan Khan, had said that his patient had a "critically low" platelet count and requested the authorities to immediately shift him to a hospital. Earlier, Imran Khan had directed the Punjab government to extend the best medical services to the former Prime Minister in accordance with his family's wishes.

Maryam Nawaz moved to Services Hospital in Lahore

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-express-outrage-over-maria-butina-conviction-putin-says-its-arbitrary-213911">Maria&nbsp;Butina</a>, the Russian gun advocate who built a network of high-level Republican contacts before being arrested for spying, was freed from US prison Friday after serving nine months, the Bureau of Prisons said.

Butina&nbsp;was handed over to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau and was expected to be deported back to Russia, where she has been celebrated by the government as a victim of unjust, politically motivated charges in the United States.

The only Russian arrested and convicted in the three-year investigation of Moscow's interference in US politics,&nbsp;Butina&nbsp;parlayed ties with the NRA firearms lobby into a network of high-level Republican allies.

That network brought her into contact with President Donald Trump before his 2016 election, as well as with one of his sons.

Case heralded by Russia

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-agent-maria-butina-sentenced-to-18-months-213784">30-year-old native of Siberia</a> said she was on a quest to establish better relations between Russia and the United States, and enrolled in university in Washington while living with a Republican operative.

She attended political rallies and NRA conventions, often with her powerful Moscow sponsor Alexander Torshin, a politician close to President Vladimir Putin.

Her social media was full of pictures of her posing with various firearms around the United States, in some dressed in camo with an assault rifle and, in one, as a cowgirl with a giant six-shooter.

And she had her picture taken with some of the country's conservative elite: NRA head Wayne LaPierre, senator Rick Santorum, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, and President Donald Trump's son Don Jr.

But she was arrested in July 2018 on allegations she was engaging in espionage, though she had no connection with Russia's established spy agencies.

In December,&nbsp;Butina&nbsp;entered a plea deal on a charge that she acted as an illegal, unregistered foreign agent, and was sentenced to 18 months in prison, half of which was credited as already served.

The Russian foreign ministry made her into a cause celebre, placing a picture of her with the word "Free&nbsp;Butina" at the top of its social media pages.

There was no immediate comment from&nbsp;Butina&nbsp;or her lawyer, but Russian media said she was expected back as early as Saturday.

Case remains murky

Even with her release, her case remained murky. US prosecutors watered-down early allegations that she was an operative of Russia's intelligence agencies, and described her only as funded by senior politician Torshin.

But they maintained that she had a mission to infiltrate US political circles in an operation to "spot and assess" potential espionage targets.

Part of that involved becoming the live-in girlfriend of a mid-level Republican operative who sponsored her as a graduate student at American University in Washington.

"There is no doubt that she was not simply a graduate student," Assistant US Attorney Erik Kenerson told the court.

But&nbsp;Butina&nbsp;maintained that, guided by Torshin, she genuinely sought to create people-to-people channels of cooperation and fell victim to a higher level of intrigue relating to Russian election interference.

She told NPR radio from jail that, while a graduate student in politics at American University, she had only sought to be involved in "civil diplomacy."

"I never hide my love to my motherland neither to this country... I love both countries, and I was building peace."

Spy away?

Her future in Russia remained unknown. There was some speculation that Moscow's arrest of an American, Paul Whelan, last December for alleged espionage was a tit for tat and that her release could lead to his.

But Whelan's brother David told AFP this week that it appeared Moscow could want much more in return for Paul Whelan's release, including a possible swap for other US-jailed spies and the reopening of two Russian-leased estates in New York and Maryland that were forced closed in 2017 in retaliation for Russian election meddling.

Nevertheless, Whelan tweeted on Friday: "I wish the very best for Ms&nbsp;Butina&nbsp;and much joy for her reunion with her family. We look forward to the same opportunity with Paul in the future."

Maria Butina, the Russian gun advocate who built a network of high-level Republican contacts before being arrested for spying, was freed from US prison Friday after serving nine months, the Bureau of Prisons said.

Maria Butina, the Russian gun advocate who built a network of high-level Republican contacts before being arrested for spying, was freed from US prison Friday after serving nine months, the Bureau of Prisons said. Butina was handed over to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau and was expected to be deported back to Russia, where she has been celebrated by the government as a victim of unjust, politically motivated charges in the United States. The only Russian arrested and convicted in the three-year investigation of Moscow's interference in US politics, Butina parlayed ties with the NRA firearms lobby into a network of high-level Republican allies. That network brought her into contact with President Donald Trump before his 2016 election, as well as with one of his sons. Case heralded by Russia The 30-year-old native of Siberia said she was on a quest to establish better relations between Russia and the United States, and enrolled in university in Washington while living with a Republican operative. She attended political rallies and NRA conventions, often with her powerful Moscow sponsor Alexander Torshin, a politician close to President Vladimir Putin. Her social media was full of pictures of her posing with various firearms around the United States, in some dressed in camo with an assault rifle and, in one, as a cowgirl with a giant six-shooter. And she had her picture taken with some of the country's conservative elite: NRA head Wayne LaPierre, senator Rick Santorum, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, and President Donald Trump's son Don Jr. But she was arrested in July 2018 on allegations she was engaging in espionage, though she had no connection with Russia's established spy agencies. In December, Butina entered a plea deal on a charge that she acted as an illegal, unregistered foreign agent, and was sentenced to 18 months in prison, half of which was credited as already served. The Russian foreign ministry made her into a cause celebre, placing a picture of her with the word "Free Butina" at the top of its social media pages. There was no immediate comment from Butina or her lawyer, but Russian media said she was expected back as early as Saturday. Case remains murky Even with her release, her case remained murky. US prosecutors watered-down early allegations that she was an operative of Russia's intelligence agencies, and described her only as funded by senior politician Torshin. But they maintained that she had a mission to infiltrate US political circles in an operation to "spot and assess" potential espionage targets. Part of that involved becoming the live-in girlfriend of a mid-level Republican operative who sponsored her as a graduate student at American University in Washington. "There is no doubt that she was not simply a graduate student," Assistant US Attorney Erik Kenerson told the court. But Butina maintained that, guided by Torshin, she genuinely sought to create people-to-people channels of cooperation and fell victim to a higher level of intrigue relating to Russian election interference. She told NPR radio from jail that, while a graduate student in politics at American University, she had only sought to be involved in "civil diplomacy." "I never hide my love to my motherland neither to this country... I love both countries, and I was building peace." Spy away? Her future in Russia remained unknown. There was some speculation that Moscow's arrest of an American, Paul Whelan, last December for alleged espionage was a tit for tat and that her release could lead to his. But Whelan's brother David told AFP this week that it appeared Moscow could want much more in return for Paul Whelan's release, including a possible swap for other US-jailed spies and the reopening of two Russian-leased estates in New York and Maryland that were forced closed in 2017 in retaliation for Russian election meddling. Nevertheless, Whelan tweeted on Friday: "I wish the very best for Ms Butina and much joy for her reunion with her family. We look forward to the same opportunity with Paul in the future."

Russian 'agent' Maria Butina released from United States prison

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebooks-zuckerberg-grilled-in-us-congress-on-digital-currency-privacy-elections-257824">Facebook</a>&nbsp;on Friday began rolling out its dedicated "news tab" with professionally produced content, the latest move by the social network to promote journalism and shed its reputation as a platform for misinformation.

The tab, being tested with some US users, will be separate from a user's normal feed and include articles from partner news organisations,&nbsp;making a clear distinction between journalism and stories shared by users from a wide range of sources.

"This is going to be&nbsp;the first time ever there will be a dedicated space on the (Facebook) app that is focused on high-quality journalism," Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg told an audience in New York in a joint appearance with CEO Robert Thomson of News Corp, one of the partners in the project.

The mix of stories in&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;News will be determined by algorithmic "personalisation" based on a user's preferences and data, with journalists choosing some of the stories.

The company said users would have "more control over the stories they see, and the ability to explore a wider range of their news interests, directly within the&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;app."

Facebook&nbsp;is expected to pay some of the news organizations, reportedly millions of dollars in some cases,&nbsp;but has yet to disclose full details.

Zuckerberg said&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;would not seek to limit coverage of the company or himself.

Going global?

Zuckerberg said he sees the effort as important even if it is used by only a small percentage of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/libras-association-is-independent-facebook-wont-be-part-of-it-even-outside-the-us-till-regulators-approve-zuckerberg-to-us-house-panel-257767">Facebook</a>&nbsp;users. And he said the company is in discussions to bring the feature to other countries.

"We want to do something like this across the world as well," he said.

The social network has partnered with some 200 news organisations including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Washington Post, CBS News, BuzzFeed, Fox News, the Boston Globe, Bloomberg and Vanity Fair.

Zuckerberg defended the inclusion of partners some criticise as politically partisan such as the right-wing outlet Breitbart, saying the news tab "needs to have a diversity of views."

Facebook&nbsp;said it would begin an initial test rollout which would "showcase local original reporting" from publications in major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, Houston, Washington, Miami, Atlanta and Boston.

Topic sections will include business, entertainment, health, science and technology, and sports.

Rebooting the relationship

The move represents&nbsp;Facebook's effort to reboot its relationship with news organisations, many of which have been critical of the platform for failing to curb the spread of misinformation and for taking much of the online ad revenue.

The plan notably brings together&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;and Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.

Thomson, the News Corp CEO who last year denounced what he called a "dysfunctional" online landscape that made it hard for publishers to thrive, welcomed the&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;initiative in the joint appearance with Zuckerberg.

"It is a powerful precedent that will echo around editorial departments," said Thomson, whose company includes the Wall Street Journal.

"It begins to change the terms of trade for quality journalism."

Paying for 'good stuff'

Northeastern University professor Dan Kennedy said the tab could help&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-announces-steps-to-clamp-down-on-misinformation-ahead-of-2020-election-257494">Facebook</a> users distinguish between misinformation and professional news.

"Less savvy news consumers might not be able to tell the difference between exaggerated or fake viral news and real journalism from respected news organisations," Kennedy said.

"So this should help a lot."

But Kennedy said it could be problematic that&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;may only be paying the richest media organisations, increasing woes for small, local outlets.

Ken Paulson, a former USA Today editor who now heads the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University, agreed that the initiative will promote better content.

"My long-term hope for the news business is that more consumers will recognise the difference between quality and chaos and be willing to pay for the good stuff," Paulson said.

University of Oregon journalism professor Damian Radcliffe noted that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zuckerberg-defends-facebooks-approach-to-free-speech-draws-line-on-china-257158">Facebook</a>&nbsp;users currently "bump into" news in their feed, as opposed to actively seeking it out.

He said the project raises "important questions here about how transparent the story selection process will be, and what&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;is effectively saying about news which sits outside of the tab. Does that means it's deemed less trustworthy?"

Facebook on Friday began rolling out its dedicated "news tab" with professionally produced content, the latest move by the social network to promote journalism and shed its reputation as a platform for misinformation.

Facebook on Friday began rolling out its dedicated "news tab" with professionally produced content, the latest move by the social network to promote journalism and shed its reputation as a platform for misinformation. The tab, being tested with some US users, will be separate from a user's normal feed and include articles from partner news organisations, making a clear distinction between journalism and stories shared by users from a wide range of sources. "This is going to be the first time ever there will be a dedicated space on the (Facebook) app that is focused on high-quality journalism," Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg told an audience in New York in a joint appearance with CEO Robert Thomson of News Corp, one of the partners in the project. The mix of stories in Facebook News will be determined by algorithmic "personalisation" based on a user's preferences and data, with journalists choosing some of the stories. The company said users would have "more control over the stories they see, and the ability to explore a wider range of their news interests, directly within the Facebook app." Facebook is expected to pay some of the news organizations, reportedly millions of dollars in some cases, but has yet to disclose full details. Zuckerberg said Facebook would not seek to limit coverage of the company or himself. Going global? Zuckerberg said he sees the effort as important even if it is used by only a small percentage of Facebook users. And he said the company is in discussions to bring the feature to other countries. "We want to do something like this across the world as well," he said. The social network has partnered with some 200 news organisations including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Washington Post, CBS News, BuzzFeed, Fox News, the Boston Globe, Bloomberg and Vanity Fair. Zuckerberg defended the inclusion of partners some criticise as politically partisan such as the right-wing outlet Breitbart, saying the news tab "needs to have a diversity of views." Facebook said it would begin an initial test rollout which would "showcase local original reporting" from publications in major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, Houston, Washington, Miami, Atlanta and Boston. Topic sections will include business, entertainment, health, science and technology, and sports. Rebooting the relationship The move represents Facebook's effort to reboot its relationship with news organisations, many of which have been critical of the platform for failing to curb the spread of misinformation and for taking much of the online ad revenue. The plan notably brings together Facebook and Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. Thomson, the News Corp CEO who last year denounced what he called a "dysfunctional" online landscape that made it hard for publishers to thrive, welcomed the Facebook initiative in the joint appearance with Zuckerberg. "It is a powerful precedent that will echo around editorial departments," said Thomson, whose company includes the Wall Street Journal. "It begins to change the terms of trade for quality journalism." Paying for 'good stuff' Northeastern University professor Dan Kennedy said the tab could help Facebook users distinguish between misinformation and professional news. "Less savvy news consumers might not be able to tell the difference between exaggerated or fake viral news and real journalism from respected news organisations," Kennedy said. "So this should help a lot." But Kennedy said it could be problematic that Facebook may only be paying the richest media organisations, increasing woes for small, local outlets. Ken Paulson, a former USA Today editor who now heads the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University, agreed that the initiative will promote better content. "My long-term hope for the news business is that more consumers will recognise the difference between quality and chaos and be willing to pay for the good stuff," Paulson said. University of Oregon journalism professor Damian Radcliffe noted that Facebook users currently "bump into" news in their feed, as opposed to actively seeking it out. He said the project raises "important questions here about how transparent the story selection process will be, and what Facebook is effectively saying about news which sits outside of the tab. Does that means it's deemed less trustworthy?"

Facebook's 'news tab' seeks to reboot its role within media

Police investigating the deaths of 39 people in a truck near London said they <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/essex-lorry-deaths-uk-police-arrest-man-and-woman-for-human-trafficking-over-truck-deaths-258160">had arrested three more suspects</a> on Friday on suspicion of human trafficking amid signs that some of the dead may be&nbsp;Vietnamese.

As forensic experts began the process of identifying the victims, the&nbsp;Vietnamese embassy in London said families from the southeast Asian country had got in touch about missing relatives. There were growing concerns at least 10 of the victims could have been from&nbsp;Vietnam.

Hoa Nghiem from Human Rights Space, a civic network based in&nbsp;Vietnam, said that Pham Thi Tra My, 26, had sent a text message to her mother saying she could not breathe at about the time the truck container was en route from Belgium to Britain.

"I’m sorry, mum and dad. My path abroad was not a success. I love you both so much. I can’t breathe. I'm from Nghen Town, Can Loc District, Ha Tinh,&nbsp;Vietnam&nbsp;... I am sorry, Mom," the message said, according to Hoa who told Reuters it had come from Tra My's family.

She said Tra My had gone to China and was planning to reach England via France and that the organisation was getting more alerts about possible&nbsp;Vietnamese victims in the refrigerated trunk, which was found in the early hours of Wednesday.

Police have said they believe the dead were Chinese but Beijing said the nationalities had not yet been confirmed. Chinese and&nbsp;Vietnamese officials are now both working closely with British police, their respective embassies said.

"We owe it to those who have died to get this investigation right and speculation is not helpful," Essex Police's Deputy Chief Constable Pippa Mills told reporters. "It may in fact hinder our investigation and its progress."

She said they would not give any more details about the identities or nationalities of the victims until the formal identification process was complete.

Her officers were still questioning the 25-year-old truck driver on suspicion of murder following the discovery of the bodies in the back of his truck.

He has not been formally identified but a source familiar with the investigation named him as Mo Robinson from the Portadown area of Northern Ireland.

On Friday, police also arrested a man and woman, both aged 38, in Warrington, northwest England, and a 48-year-old man from Northern Ireland at London's Stansted Airport. They are suspected of conspiracy to traffic people and manslaughter.

The victims - 31 men and eight women - are being moved to a hospital mortuary from a secure location at docks near the industrial estate in Grays about 20 miles (30 km) east of London where the bodies were found.

Post-mortem examinations were beginning to determine how exactly they died while the lengthy process of identifying the deceased was underway.

VietHome, an organisation for the&nbsp;Vietnamese community in Britain, said it had received news from 10 families that their relatives were missing.

For years, illegal immigrants have attempted to reach Britain stowed away in trucks, often from the European mainland. In 2000, 58 Chinese were found dead in a tomato truck at the port of Dover. 
 
Watch: Essex Lorry death case: 3 more suspects in UK police custody

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/essex-lorry-death-case-3-more-suspects-in-uk-police-custody-258215/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Britain 'has not fulfilled responsibility'

"We hope that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/essex-lorry-deaths-uk-points-to-belgium-258064">British side</a> can as soon as possible confirm and verify the identities of the victims, ascertain what happened and severely punish criminals involved in the case," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing.

China's Global Times, which is published by the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily, said in a Friday editorial that Britain should bear some responsibility for the deaths.

"It is clear that Britain and relevant European countries have not fulfilled their responsibility to protect these people from such a death," the widely read tabloid said.

It added that Britain appeared not to have learned its lesson from the Dover incident two decades ago.

The police investigation is focussed on the movement of the trailer prior to its arrival at Purfleet docks near Grays little more than an hour before the bodies were found, and on who was behind the suspected human trafficking.

Irish company Global Trailer Rentals said it owned the trailer and had rented it out on October&nbsp;15. The firm said it was unaware of what it was to be used for.

The refrigeration unit had travelled to Britain from Zeebrugge in Belgium and the town's chairman, Dirk de Fauw, said he believed the victims died in the trailer before it arrived in the Belgian port.

The Times newspaper reported that GPS data showed the container had arrived at the Belgian port at 2.49 p.m. local time on Tuesday before later making the 10-hour sea crossing to Britain.

Police said the cab unit of the truck was driven over from Dublin on Sunday, crossing the Irish Sea by ship and entering Britain in North Wales. It picked up the trailer in Purfleet shortly after midnight on Wednesday.

Figures last year from the UK's National Crime Agency, which targets serious and organised crime, showed&nbsp;Vietnamese nationals were the third most commonly reported victims of modern slavery or trafficking in Britain, although it did not have statistics about those entering the country illegally.

Police investigating the deaths of 39 people in a truck near London said they had arrested three more suspects on Friday on suspicion of human trafficking amid signs that some of the dead may be Vietnamese.

Police investigating the deaths of 39 people in a truck near London said they had arrested three more suspects on Friday on suspicion of human trafficking amid signs that some of the dead may be Vietnamese. As forensic experts began the process of identifying the victims, the Vietnamese embassy in London said families from the southeast Asian country had got in touch about missing relatives. There were growing concerns at least 10 of the victims could have been from Vietnam. Hoa Nghiem from Human Rights Space, a civic network based in Vietnam, said that Pham Thi Tra My, 26, had sent a text message to her mother saying she could not breathe at about the time the truck container was en route from Belgium to Britain. "I’m sorry, mum and dad. My path abroad was not a success. I love you both so much. I can’t breathe. I'm from Nghen Town, Can Loc District, Ha Tinh, Vietnam ... I am sorry, Mom," the message said, according to Hoa who told Reuters it had come from Tra My's family. She said Tra My had gone to China and was planning to reach England via France and that the organisation was getting more alerts about possible Vietnamese victims in the refrigerated trunk, which was found in the early hours of Wednesday. Police have said they believe the dead were Chinese but Beijing said the nationalities had not yet been confirmed. Chinese and Vietnamese officials are now both working closely with British police, their respective embassies said. "We owe it to those who have died to get this investigation right and speculation is not helpful," Essex Police's Deputy Chief Constable Pippa Mills told reporters. "It may in fact hinder our investigation and its progress." She said they would not give any more details about the identities or nationalities of the victims until the formal identification process was complete. Her officers were still questioning the 25-year-old truck driver on suspicion of murder following the discovery of the bodies in the back of his truck. He has not been formally identified but a source familiar with the investigation named him as Mo Robinson from the Portadown area of Northern Ireland. On Friday, police also arrested a man and woman, both aged 38, in Warrington, northwest England, and a 48-year-old man from Northern Ireland at London's Stansted Airport. They are suspected of conspiracy to traffic people and manslaughter. The victims - 31 men and eight women - are being moved to a hospital mortuary from a secure location at docks near the industrial estate in Grays about 20 miles (30 km) east of London where the bodies were found. Post-mortem examinations were beginning to determine how exactly they died while the lengthy process of identifying the deceased was underway. VietHome, an organisation for the Vietnamese community in Britain, said it had received news from 10 families that their relatives were missing. For years, illegal immigrants have attempted to reach Britain stowed away in trucks, often from the European mainland. In 2000, 58 Chinese were found dead in a tomato truck at the port of Dover. Watch: Essex Lorry death case: 3 more suspects in UK police custody Britain 'has not fulfilled responsibility' "We hope that the British side can as soon as possible confirm and verify the identities of the victims, ascertain what happened and severely punish criminals involved in the case," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing. China's Global Times, which is published by the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily, said in a Friday editorial that Britain should bear some responsibility for the deaths. "It is clear that Britain and relevant European countries have not fulfilled their responsibility to protect these people from such a death," the widely read tabloid said. It added that Britain appeared not to have learned its lesson from the Dover incident two decades ago. The police investigation is focussed on the movement of the trailer prior to its arrival at Purfleet docks near Grays little more than an hour before the bodies were found, and on who was behind the suspected human trafficking. Irish company Global Trailer Rentals said it owned the trailer and had rented it out on October 15. The firm said it was unaware of what it was to be used for. The refrigeration unit had travelled to Britain from Zeebrugge in Belgium and the town's chairman, Dirk de Fauw, said he believed the victims died in the trailer before it arrived in the Belgian port. The Times newspaper reported that GPS data showed the container had arrived at the Belgian port at 2.49 p.m. local time on Tuesday before later making the 10-hour sea crossing to Britain. Police said the cab unit of the truck was driven over from Dublin on Sunday, crossing the Irish Sea by ship and entering Britain in North Wales. It picked up the trailer in Purfleet shortly after midnight on Wednesday. Figures last year from the UK's National Crime Agency, which targets serious and organised crime, showed Vietnamese nationals were the third most commonly reported victims of modern slavery or trafficking in Britain, although it did not have statistics about those entering the country illegally.

Vietnamese may be among who were found dead in lorry, UK police make three more arrests

California firefighters aided by subsiding winds took the offensive on Friday against two <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-wildfires-rage-in-california-about-50000-get-evacuated-258037">major wildfires</a> at opposite ends of the state, one displacing 50,000 suburban Los Angeles residents and another roaring through Sonoma County's famed wine country.

Governor Gavin Newsom declared an emergency for both blazes, which erupted hours apart amid fierce winds this week that put emergency managers on high alert and prompted utilities to impose wide-scale power outages to curtail wildfire risks.

No injuries have been reported from either the Kincade fire in Sonoma County, about 130 km&nbsp;north of San Francisco or the Tick fire in the Santa Clarita Valley about 65 km&nbsp;north of Los Angeles.

But the two blazes, the worst of several large wildfires across the state this week, have destroyed dozens of homes and other structures while prompting air-quality alerts in parts of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area.

The dry, hot desert winds, gusting to 112 kph, gave way to light breezes on Thursday night, slowing the fires' advance and presenting crews with a chance to make significant headway against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tens-of-thousands-evacuated-as-california-wildfires-rage-255379">the flames</a>.

The lull was expected to be short-lived. Forecasts called for heavy winds to return late on Saturday and persist through the weekend, leaving fire crews a narrow window to tamp down the blazes in Los Angeles and Sonoma counties.

Power companies, led by the state's largest investor-owned utility, Pacific Gas and Electric Co, also were bracing for a renewal of gale-force winds.

Even as PG&amp;E worked to restore electricity to nearly 200,000 homes and businesses switched off ahead of this week's earlier bout of severe winds, the utility announced plans for a new round of precautionary blackouts expected to leave 850,000 customers without power across 36 counties in northern and central California.

The utility cited weather data showing the expected windstorm "could be the most powerful in California in decades."

Adding to PG&amp;E's difficulties, the utility acknowledged on Thursday that the Kincade fire, which forced the evacuation of 2,000 people in Sonoma County after erupting on Wednesday night, began near the base of a damaged high-voltage transmission tower the utility owns.

Lights on and off

A power shutdown of that scale, affecting millions of people, would surpass even the record outage imposed by PG&amp;E on some 730,000 of its customers in anticipation of a previous windstorm two weeks ago.

That precautionary blackout drew sharp criticism from the governor and regulators as being too widespread as well as poorly managed and communicated to the public.

Newsom has said PG&amp;E is largely to blame for its own predicament, arguing corporate greed and mismanagement kept the utility from upgrading its infrastructure while wildfire hazards have steadily worsened over the past decade, a function of climate change.

PG&amp;E, which filed for bankruptcy in January citing billions of dollars in civil liabilities from deadly wildfires sparked by its equipment in 2017 and 2018, says it has since remedied problems experienced with its website and customer call centre.

It has also arranged for extra personnel from affiliated energy companies and the state to assist with the spot inspections required of its de-energised power lines before electricity that has been turned off is allowed to be restored, the company said.

By Friday, the Kincade fire had charred nearly 8,900 hectares&nbsp;in a wine-growing region whose better-known vintners include "The Godfather" director Francis Ford Coppola, and destroyed at least 49 dwellings and other structures, officials said.

Evacuation orders included the entire town of Geyserville, an historic enclave that is home to about 900 residents and is named for geothermal features in the vicinity.

Fire crews, backed by helicopters and aeroplane tankers dumping loads of water and flame-retardant on the blaze, had managed to carve containment lines around just 5 per cent&nbsp;of the blaze as of Friday.

Hundreds of miles to the south, crews battled to suppress the Tick fire, which erupted on Thursday and by Friday had scorched 4,300 acres&nbsp;and was <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/firefighters-battle-southern-california-wildfires-100000-evacuated-255548">threatening 15,000 homes</a> and businesses, officials said.

An estimated 50,000 people were displaced by evacuation orders in and around Santa Clarita. Poor air quality from thick smoke drifting south prompted the Los Angeles School District to cancel classes for all students in the San Fernando Valley.

"Scary, crazy. We've lived here 37 years and never had to evacuate. So, you know, you always hear about it, you always think, maybe this time. But, yeah, this is the first time," evacuee Terri Egar said.

The fire has destroyed at least six structures, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby said, adding that figure was expected to rise.

"This is the largest evacuation that we've had in Santa Clarita," Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger told a news conference.

California firefighters aided by subsiding winds took the offensive on Friday against two major wildfires at opposite ends of the state, one displacing 50,000 suburban Los Angeles residents and another roaring through Sonoma County's famed wine country.

California firefighters aided by subsiding winds took the offensive on Friday against two major wildfires at opposite ends of the state, one displacing 50,000 suburban Los Angeles residents and another roaring through Sonoma County's famed wine country. Governor Gavin Newsom declared an emergency for both blazes, which erupted hours apart amid fierce winds this week that put emergency managers on high alert and prompted utilities to impose wide-scale power outages to curtail wildfire risks. No injuries have been reported from either the Kincade fire in Sonoma County, about 130 km north of San Francisco or the Tick fire in the Santa Clarita Valley about 65 km north of Los Angeles. But the two blazes, the worst of several large wildfires across the state this week, have destroyed dozens of homes and other structures while prompting air-quality alerts in parts of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area. The dry, hot desert winds, gusting to 112 kph, gave way to light breezes on Thursday night, slowing the fires' advance and presenting crews with a chance to make significant headway against the flames. The lull was expected to be short-lived. Forecasts called for heavy winds to return late on Saturday and persist through the weekend, leaving fire crews a narrow window to tamp down the blazes in Los Angeles and Sonoma counties. Power companies, led by the state's largest investor-owned utility, Pacific Gas and Electric Co, also were bracing for a renewal of gale-force winds. Even as PG&E worked to restore electricity to nearly 200,000 homes and businesses switched off ahead of this week's earlier bout of severe winds, the utility announced plans for a new round of precautionary blackouts expected to leave 850,000 customers without power across 36 counties in northern and central California. The utility cited weather data showing the expected windstorm "could be the most powerful in California in decades." Adding to PG&E's difficulties, the utility acknowledged on Thursday that the Kincade fire, which forced the evacuation of 2,000 people in Sonoma County after erupting on Wednesday night, began near the base of a damaged high-voltage transmission tower the utility owns. Lights on and off A power shutdown of that scale, affecting millions of people, would surpass even the record outage imposed by PG&E on some 730,000 of its customers in anticipation of a previous windstorm two weeks ago. That precautionary blackout drew sharp criticism from the governor and regulators as being too widespread as well as poorly managed and communicated to the public. Newsom has said PG&E is largely to blame for its own predicament, arguing corporate greed and mismanagement kept the utility from upgrading its infrastructure while wildfire hazards have steadily worsened over the past decade, a function of climate change. PG&E, which filed for bankruptcy in January citing billions of dollars in civil liabilities from deadly wildfires sparked by its equipment in 2017 and 2018, says it has since remedied problems experienced with its website and customer call centre. It has also arranged for extra personnel from affiliated energy companies and the state to assist with the spot inspections required of its de-energised power lines before electricity that has been turned off is allowed to be restored, the company said. By Friday, the Kincade fire had charred nearly 8,900 hectares in a wine-growing region whose better-known vintners include "The Godfather" director Francis Ford Coppola, and destroyed at least 49 dwellings and other structures, officials said. Evacuation orders included the entire town of Geyserville, an historic enclave that is home to about 900 residents and is named for geothermal features in the vicinity. Fire crews, backed by helicopters and aeroplane tankers dumping loads of water and flame-retardant on the blaze, had managed to carve containment lines around just 5 per cent of the blaze as of Friday. Hundreds of miles to the south, crews battled to suppress the Tick fire, which erupted on Thursday and by Friday had scorched 4,300 acres and was threatening 15,000 homes and businesses, officials said. An estimated 50,000 people were displaced by evacuation orders in and around Santa Clarita. Poor air quality from thick smoke drifting south prompted the Los Angeles School District to cancel classes for all students in the San Fernando Valley. "Scary, crazy. We've lived here 37 years and never had to evacuate. So, you know, you always hear about it, you always think, maybe this time. But, yeah, this is the first time," evacuee Terri Egar said. The fire has destroyed at least six structures, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby said, adding that figure was expected to rise. "This is the largest evacuation that we've had in Santa Clarita," Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger told a news conference.

California firefighters tackle blazes in suburbs of Los Angeles

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Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Bharat Sharma

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